nostalgia – Artistic Apathy

I’ve been watching anime ever since I was just starting out in elementary school. I still distinctly remember the first series of Naruto being aired on Cartoon Network.

Before that, it was series like Pokemon and Digimon that first introduced me to anime. And also an oft-forgotten series: Medabots. There was also the programming block late night on Cartoon Network: Toonami that aired re-runs of anime like Inuyasha, Ruroni Kenshin and Cowboy Bebop.

Anime was an integral part of me growing up and even inspired my own works of fiction. Not only was it a staple of my childhood but each anime along the way has shaped my ideals and morals to a point worth noting.

It was in Naruto, the hated underdog that was desperate for love and connection that I found part of myself in.

When I was younger I wasn’t always the most popular kid in school but I related to Naruto’s mission and journey. He was out to prove something but along the way he became someone he could be proud of. A true friend and hero to the people he cared about. He no longer needed approval from people because he found acceptance in his friends and colleagues. Naruto got his happy ending but it wasn’t without struggle and perseverance. And I think that’s something you just can’t knock.

Naruto had to literally conquer his demons to be able to gain victory in life. The metaphors in this show alone go over some people’s head but there are life lessons here.

Later in life, I decided to check out an often recommended anime: Welcome to the NHK. It was in the character Satou, that I found representation.

I had never seen a character with social anxiety represented before. I related to this character on so many different levels. His ending was not so much a happy ending but a realistic one. He didn’t achieve everything he set out to but he found something that worked for him and he got better.

It was in Ryuko, a high schooler at a brawling academy that I became to believe in girl power fully.

Needless to say, I took a lot of lessons away from anime and without it maybe I wouldn’t be who I am today. It’s entertaining but also relates to real life and there is an anime for any point and time in your life. I think more people should give it a chance.

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Remember the good ole days of burned CDs and mixtapes on cassette? This one here does. It’s crazy how the new generation doesn’t remember these things and God I feel old for saying that but it really is a blast from the past, you know?

I remember when I asked a friend of mine to burn a CD for me for the first time so I could play it in the car. I gave him a list but he managed to put in a few pleasant surprises in there that really made me happy. It was a special feeling. Then I learned how to do it myself and everyone got CDs.

The way we share music has changed. Barely anyone has the time anymore to just check out some music you send them. The music scene is saturated right now so we have too many options and also, there are just way too many distractions online. With a video tempting you to click it with a clickbait title or a juicy social media thread; we’ve spread ourselves thin.

Nowadays we just pay a subscription fee and we can have unlimited downloads. I’m guilty myself of downloading music I’m never going to listen to. Whereas in the past we had to scour a file sharing site for the best quality upload so we could download it onto our MP3 player and risk getting a virus infection on our computer.

Mixtapes used to be personal. They had your name on it, they were your signature. You got the chance to be a curator, or a DJ. A tastemaker. And mixtapes came with their own titles like “music to listen to when you’re sad” or “music that makes you dance.” It was almost like the art of making a playlist as where if you had one skippable track on the whole thing then it was a dud. It’s crazy how romantic it seems now looking in hindsight.

I’m not saying I don’t like the advantage of having access to hundreds of thousands of songs in great qualify readily available. I just miss the times where we paid special close attention to the details. Where we tried to create music for an occasion. For the right moment. Music pairs well with experiences as they imprint memories in your head that last a lifetime.

All I’m saying is that if someone wanted to send me a mixtape titled “songs that make me think of your beautiful face,” I wouldn’t be mad.

But just kidding.

Tag: nostalgia

How Anime Has Shaped Me